Humason-Pinkerton House
602 Grove, Lufkin, TXA good example of the style; is the nice gingerbread ornamentation that suggests the Victorian chronology. On July 6, 1909 W. P. Humason and Rose Humason gave a Mechanic Lien to W. P. Berry and W. R. McMullen for $2,700.00, $500.00 upon completion and $2,200.00 in 63 monthly payments of $35.00 with the last payment of $30.00, interest at 10% per annum. The structure was described as a six-room shingle roofed dwelling to be built by September 1, 1909. The Contractors were partners. Berry was known for his construction expertise and McMullen for his business and money connections. William P. Humason married Rose Green in Livingston, Texas and had three sons, William P. Jr., Lawrence, and John Norris. He was an early-day ice cream maker and showman. The Humason Ice Cream Company was located at the corner of Bonner and Grove streets. His brick ice cream was often embellished with decorations of flags, roses, and other designs embedded in the cream. He also played the violin and directed the six-piece orchestra and plays at the Lufkin Opera House located on the southwest corner of Herndon and Frank streets (demolished). Humason was from Mississippi and was also the first manager of Hotel Bonner (demolished). He left Lufkin ca. the 1920's and moved to Tuscon, Arizona, where he died. His brother, Charles Norris Humason was mayor of the City of Lufkin from 1909 to 1911 and city manager from 1911 to 1927. The 1928 and 1937 city directories list the occupants as J. W. and Jessie Pinkerton. The area of significance is architecture at the local level. 14. Kurth Memorial Library, HOUSTON CHRONICLE, July 25, 1971, "Humason Was a Showman With Ice Cream and Opera."
Local significance of the building:Listed in National Register of Historic Places in 1988.
The National Register of Historic Places is the official list of the Nation’s historic places worthy of preservation. Authorized by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places is part of a national program to coordinate and support public and private efforts to identify, evaluate, and protect America’s historic and archeological resources.